1 INTRODUCTION
1. The Liaison Committee has established common objectives
for select committees in line with the resolution of the House
of 14 May 2002. The Liaison Committee has further asked that the
objectives should be reflected in the format of each Committee's
annual report. This report reviews the International Development
Committee's work over the previous two years (2005 and 2006) in
relation to these objectives and core tasks. The format of the
report is designed to show examples of the work which the Committee
has done in relation to the following core tasks.
- Inquiries carried out into:
- Government policy proposals
- areas seen by the Committee as requiring examination
because of deficiencies
- departmental actions
- associated public bodies
- major appointments
- implementation of legislation
- major policy initiatives
- Examination of any draft legislation
- Examination of expenditure
- Examination of Public Service Agreements.
2. The core tasks do not apply in equal measure to
all committees. The nature of our Committee is slightly different
from others. Much of the policy we examine is implemented on a
multilateral basis and often in conjunction with non-governmental
organisations (NGOs), which are both national and international.
We therefore seek to influence policy nationally and internationally,
in addition to ensuring the accountability of the UK Government.
The Department for International Development (DFID), the Department
whose area of work we monitor, generates little by way of legislation
(although we welcomed the passage of the International Development
(Reporting and Transparency) Act 2006 which was introduced as
a Private Member's Bill); it has no associated public bodies;[1]
and the Secretary of State is rarely responsible for major public
appointments. We have therefore to adapt the core tasks to these
particular circumstances. DFID attaches considerable importance
to working with and influencing key multilateral development agencies
(in particular the UN system, the EU, and the International Financial
Institutions (IFIs)). The comments contained in this report reflect,
where appropriate, the extent to which DFID works through these
multilateral bodies.
Work of the International Development
Committee in 2005 and 2006: Highlights
3. The period covered by this report — 2005-06
— was a significant and high-profile one for DFID. The UK
held the presidencies of both the G8 and the European Union. Africa
and climate change were the focus of the G8 Presidency (January
to December 2005). The independent Commission for Africa reported
in March 2005. Reducing poverty in Africa was also a key issue
for the presidency of the European Union (July to December 2005).
The 25 Member States agreed to double their aid to reach over
£45 billion in 2010. In September 2005, the United Nations
held its World Summit to examine progress towards development
goals, and the World Trade Organisation (WTO) held its Sixth Ministerial
Meeting in Hong Kong in December 2005, as part of the Doha Development
Round.
4. The 'Year of Development' also saw the mobilisation
of the Make Poverty History coalition, part of the Global Call
for Action Against Poverty; and the LIVE8 concert in July 2005
helped to keep international development issues near the top of
the news agenda.
5. This report covers the period from the 2005 General
Election to the end of 2006. Our inquiries included key cross-cutting
issues: private sector development, conflict and responses to
natural disasters were the focus of our work in 2006. Passing
reference is made to work done by the previous committee, where
this was not covered in our predecessors' earlier report.[2]
Between January and April 2005 our predecessor Committee published
the following reports:
- Work of the Committee 2004;
- DFID's bilateral programme of assistance to India;
- Darfur, Sudan: the responsibility to protect;
- Fair trade? The EU's trade agreements with ACP
countries;
- Development assistance in Iraq (an Interim Report);
and
- Strategic Export Controls: HMG's Annual Report
for 2003, Licensing Policy and Parliamentary Scrutiny.
1 It does, however, have two associated non-departmental
public bodies, see paragraph 61. Back
2
International Development Committee, Second Report of Session
2004-05, Work of the Committee in 2004, HC 326 Back
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